DELHI HIGH COURT (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2015 THE DELHI HIGH COURT (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2015 [Act No. 23 of 2015] [10th August, 2015] An Act further to amend the Delhi High Court Act, 1966. BE it enacted by Parliament
in the Sixty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:- (1)
This Act may be called the Delhi High Court (Amendment) Act, 2015. (2)
It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint[1]. In sub-section (2) of section 5
Preamble - DELHI HIGH COURT (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2015PREAMBLE
Section 3 - Amendment of Punjab Act VI of 1918, as in force in the National Capital Territory of Delhi
In the Punjab Courts Act,
1918, as in force in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, in section 25, for the words
"rupees twenty lakhs", the words "rupees two crore" shall
be substituted.
Section 4 - Power of Chief Justice to transfer pending suits and proceedings to subordinate courts
The Chief Justice of the High
Court of Delhi may transfer any suit or other proceedings which is or are
pending in the High Court immediately before the commencement of this Act to
such subordinate court in the National Capital Territory of Delhi as would have
jurisdiction to entertain such suit or proceedings had such suit or proceedings
been instituted or filed for the first time after such commencement.
Statement of Objects and Reasons - DELHI HIGH COURT (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2015
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
1.
Under sub-section (2) of section 5 of the Delhi High Court Act,
1966, the High Court of Delhi has ordinary original civil jurisdiction in
respect of suits, the value of which exceeds rupees twenty lakhs. The pecuniary
jurisdiction of the High Court of Delhi and District Courts of Delhi was last
revised in the year 2003 from rupees five lakhs to twenty lakhs by the Delhi
High Court (Amendment) Act, 2003.
2.
At present, cases involving even a small property are required to
be filed before Delhi High Court as the Delhi High Court has ordinary original
civil jurisdiction of the civil suits involving value of rupees twenty lakhs
and above. This has increased the work load of the Delhi High Court and on the
other hand, poor people living in Delhi have to cover considerable distance to
approach Delhi-High Court to seek justice in their cases.
3.
The Coordination Committee of Bar Associations of Delhi at various
forums has requested for enhancement of pecuniary jurisdiction of District
Courts in Delhi. The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi has
considered the request of the Bar Associations of Delhi and requested the
Central Government for enhancement of precuniary jurisdiction of ordinary
original jurisdiction of the High Court of Delhi from the existing rupees
twenty lakhs to rupees two crore.
4.
Accordingly, it has been decided to increase pecuniary
jurisdiction of the High Court of Delhi from rupees twenty lakhs to two crore
by amending the Delhi High Court Act, 1966 and the Punjab Courts Act, 1918, as
in force in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
5.
The Bill seeks to achieve the aforesaid objects.